Sprite is the best hangover cure: study

Forget pouring a glass of Coke or a coffee to undo the damage from the night before — Chinese scientists say Sprite is the winning hangover beverage.

Researchers at Sun Yat-Sen University studied 57 drinks, including sodas and herbal teas, and found the lemon-lime drink best helped the body process alcohol.

Their study started by looking at what causes a hangover, and found that it's the way our bodies process alcohol that causes the nausea and headaches.

When we drink, our livers release an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which breaks down the ethanol in alcohol into a chemical called acetaldehyde (ALDH), which reduces the amount of alcohol entering the bloodstream, and is believed to be what causes hangover pain.

The researchers tested how the different drinks affected ADH and ALDH levels and discovered Sprite sped up the ALDH process to help alcohol break down quicker. Surprisingly, some herbal teas slowed down the process.

Kellie Bilinski, an accredited practising dietitian and spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia, told ninemsn that the key is preventing a hangover in the first place.

"As far as I know there is no way to speed up recovery — the body has to take its natural course," she said.

"Drinking too much causes dehydration, so replacing the fluids and electrolytes is important. Have an electrolyte drink or some fruit, which can be a good alternative with electrolytes in it."

Bilinski said Sprite would help replenish fluid, but suggested people with a hangover avoid caffeinated drinks.

"If it's got caffeine in it, it would be more dehydrating," she said.

Now the researchers are undertaking further tests to confirm if their results are conclusive.